2006 WNBA playoffs

2006 WNBA playoffs

Dates	August 17 – September 9, 2006
Final positions
Champions	Detroit Shock (Finals Champion)
East champion	Detroit Shock (Coach: Bill Laimbeer)
West champion	Sacramento Monarchs (Coach: John Whisenant)
←  2005 2007  →

The 2006 WNBA playoffs was the postseason for the Women's National Basketball Association's 2006 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Shock defeating the Western Conference champion Sacramento Monarchs 3-2.

Format

• The top 4 teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs.
  • All 4 teams are seeded by basis of their standings.
• The series for rounds one and two are in a best-of-three format with Games 2 and 3 on the home court of the team with the higher seed.
• The series for the WNBA Finals is in a best-of-five format with Games 1, 2 and 5 on the home court of the team with the higher seed.
• Reseeding (as used in the Stanley Cup Playoffs) is not in use: therefore, all playoff matchups are predetermined via the teams' seedings.

Playoff qualifying

Eastern Conference

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the East:

1. Connecticut Sun (26–8)
2. Detroit Shock (23–11)
3. Indiana Fever (21–13)
4. Washington Mystics (18–16)

Western Conference

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the West:

1. Los Angeles Sparks (25–9)
2. Sacramento Monarchs (21–13)
3. Houston Comets (18–16)
4. Seattle Storm (18–16)

Bracket

This was the outlook for the 2006 WNBA Playoffs. Teams in italics had home court advantage. Teams in bold advanced to the next round. Numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's original playoffs seeding in their respective conferences. Numbers to the right of each team indicate the number of games the team won in that round.

Conference semifinals Best-of-3

Conference finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-5

E1

Connecticut

2

E4

Washington

0

E1

Connecticut

1

E2

Detroit

2

E2

Detroit

2

E3

Indiana

0

E2

Detroit

3

W2

Sacramento

2

W1

Los Angeles

2

W4

Seattle

1

W1

Los Angeles

0

W2

Sacramento

2

W2

Sacramento

2

W3

Houston

0

• Bold – series winner
• Italic – team with home court advantage

Eastern Conference

First round

(1) Connecticut Sun vs. (4) Washington Mystics

August 18

Game 1

Connecticut Sun 76, Washington Mystics 61

Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.

August 20

Game 2

Washington Mystics 65, Connecticut Sun 68

Connecticut wins series, 2–0

Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville

(2) Detroit Shock vs. (3) Indiana Fever

August 17

Game 1

Detroit Shock 68, Indiana Fever 56

Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

August 19

Game 2

Indiana Fever 83, Detroit Shock 98

Detroit wins series, 2–0

The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills

Conference finals

(1) Connecticut Sun vs. (2) Detroit Shock

August 24

Game 1

Connecticut Sun 59, Detroit Shock 70

The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills

August 26

Game 2

Detroit Shock 68, Connecticut Sun 77

Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville

August 27

Game 3

Detroit Shock 79, Connecticut Sun 55

Detroit wins series, 2–1

Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville

Western Conference

First round

(1) Los Angeles Sparks vs. (4) Seattle Storm

August 18

Game 1

Los Angeles Sparks 72, Seattle Storm 84

KeyArena, Seattle

August 20

Game 2

Seattle Storm 70, Los Angeles Sparks 78

Staples Center, Los Angeles

August 22

Game 3

Seattle Storm 63, Los Angeles Sparks 68

Los Angeles wins series, 2–1

Staples Center, Los Angeles

(2) Sacramento Monarchs vs. (3) Houston Comets

August 17

Game 1

Sacramento Monarchs 93, Houston Comets 78

Toyota Center, Houston

August 19

Game 2

Houston Comets 64, Sacramento Monarchs 92

Sacramento wins series, 2–0

ARCO Arena, Sacramento

Conference finals

(1) Los Angeles Sparks vs. (2) Sacramento Monarchs

August 24

Game 1

Los Angeles Sparks 61, Sacramento Monarchs 64

ARCO Arena, Sacramento

August 26

Game 2

Sacramento Monarchs 72, Los Angeles Sparks 58

Sacramento wins series, 2–0

Staples Center, Los Angeles

WNBA Finals

Main article: 2006 WNBA Finals

Sacramento Monarchs vs. Detroit Shock

August 30

Game 1

Sacramento Monarchs 95, Detroit Shock 71

The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills

September 1

Game 2

Sacramento Monarchs 63, Detroit Shock 73

The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills

September 3

Game 3

Detroit Shock 69, Sacramento Monarchs 89

ARCO Arena, Sacramento

September 6

Game 4

Detroit Shock 72, Sacramento Monarchs 52

ARCO Arena, Sacramento

September 9

Game 5

Sacramento Monarchs 75, Detroit Shock 80

Detroit wins series, 3–2

The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills